Toxicity and Health Effects

Attempts should be made to use alternate solvents for industrial processes. Solvents that pose and cause the most serious risk to human health should be replaced by less hazardous ones. If this is not possible, at least the work conditions and exposure to solvents should be adjusted to avoid or minimize the health risk. This may be achieved, for example, by using a closed process. Among solvents, the most hazardous ones identified are benzene, carbon disulfide, and carbon tetrachloride. 

---

Kimbrough, R.D. 1976. Toxicity and health effects of selected organotin compounds areview. Environ. Health Perspect. 14 51-56. 

Each group includes a very large number of chemical substances that have been used extensively in chemical laboratories, multiple industries, and homes. In fact, the list is very large. The following pages provide brief information on the uses, manner of exposure, toxicity, and health effects of some of the solvents. More information on different solvents is available in the literature. 

Toxicity and health effects Acetone on inhalation causes irritation to nose, throat, lung, and eyes and headaches. Repeated exposure causes lightheadedness, confusion, increased pulse rate, nausea, vomiting, unconsciousness, and possibly coma. It also shortens the menstrual cycle in women. Laboratory animals after a prolonged exposure to acetone developed kidney, liver, and nerve damage and experienced increased birth defects and reproductive disturbances. ... 

Toxicity and health effects Exposure to acetylene for a short period of time has not been reported to cause any kind of irritation to the skin or mucous membrane in workers. However, exposure to high concentrations of acetylene is known to cause mild narcotic effects and asphyxiation. In severe cases the exposed worker suffers poor muscular coordination, cyanosis, irregular pulse, nausea, vomiting, prostration, unconsciousness, convulsions, and... 

Toxicity and health effects Prolonged periods of exposure to acrylamide through inhalation, skin absorption, and or eye contact cause irritation to the mucous membranes, the nose, and the eyes. Exposed workers also suffer from nausea, speech disorders, and weakness of legs and hands. It is a neurotoxin and disturbs the functions of the CNS, resulting in peripheral nerve damage. - ... 

Toxicity and health effects Exposure to high concentrations of allyl alcohol vapors causes irritation to eyes, skin, and upper respiratory tract. Laboratory studies with animals have shown the symptoms of local... 

Toxicity and health effects Vapors of amyl alcohol cause mild irritation to mucous membrane of the eyes, nose, throat, and upper respiratory tract and to the skin. Acute and long-term exposures to amyl alcohol cause nausea, vomiting, headache, vertigo, and muscular weakness. Prolonged exposure may also cause narcotic effects. - ... 

Toxicity and health effects n-Butyl alcohol is a highly refractive liquid and burns with a strongly luminous flame. Exposure to n-butyl alcohol causes irritation to eyes, nose, throat, and the respiratory system. Prolonged exposure results in symptoms of headache, vertigo, drowsiness, corneal inflammation, blurred vision, photophobia, and cracked skin. It is advised that workers coming in contact with n-butyl alcohol should use protective clothing and barrier creams. - ... 

Toxicity and health effects Prolonged exposure to vapors of ethyl alcohol causes irritation to eyes and the upper respiratory tract, besides causing headache, drowsiness, fatigue, and mild to severe tremor. - Ethyl alcohol is a CNS depressant and has significant psychoactive effects in sublethal doses. Ethyl alcohol itself is not a carcinogen, but it causes effects on the liver and influences immune suppression. As such, ethanol consumption can be an aggravating factor in cancers resulting from other causes. ... 

Toxicity and health effects Exposure to vapor of methyl alcohol causes irritation to the mucous membranes. Toxic effects are exerted upon the nervous system, particularly the optic nerve. Once absorbed into the body, it is very slowly eliminated. Symptoms of overexposure include but are not limited to headache, drowsiness, nausea, vomiting, blurred vision, blindness, drunkenness, insomnia, abdominal pains, coma, and death. Oral ingestion of large amounts of methyl alcohol has caused nausea, giddiness, and loss of consciousness in humans. ... 

Toxicity and health effects Propyl alcohol is not known to cause toxicity to animals and humans unless used improperly. The vapor of propyl alcohol in high concentrations causes mild irritation to eyes, conjunctiva, and mucous membrane of the upper respiratory tract and depression of theCNS. - ... 

Toxicity and health effects Exposure to low concentrations of benzene vapor or to the liquid causes dizziness, light-headedness, headache, loss of appetite and stomach upset, and irritation to the nose and throat. Prolonged exposure to high concentrations of benzene leads to functional irregularities in the... 

Toxicity and health effects Benzidine is known to be acutely toxic to humans by ingestion. The symptoms of acute poisoning by ingestion include but are not restricted to cyanosis, headache, mental confusion, nausea, and vertigo. Dermal exposure may cause skin rashes and irritation. There is no information available on the acute effects of benzidine in humans via inhalation exposure. Animals exposed for a prolonged period of time developed effects on the blood, liver, kidney, and CNS. Chronic exposure caused bladder injury among workers. ... 

Toxicity and health effects The acnte effects of biphenyl inclnde polynria, accelerated breathing, lacrimation, anorexia, weight loss, mnscnlar weakness, coma, fatty liver cell degeneration, and severe nephrotic lesions. Exposnre to biphenyl fumes for short periods of time causes nausea, vomiting, irritation of the eyes and respiratory tract, and bronchitis. Breathing small... 

Toxicity and health effects Prolonged occupational exposure to sec-butyl acetate affects health. The symptoms of toxicity include irritation of the skin and eyes. Exposure to high concentrations of sec-butyl acetate irritates the nose and throat, causing coughing and respiratory distress, headache, nausea, vomiting, dizziness, drowsiness, and coma. After prolonged exposure to sec-butyl acetate, industrial workers show symptoms of severe irritation to eyes, headache, drowsiness, dryness in the upper respiratory system and skin, and narcosis. 

Toxicity and health effects Studies have shown that exposure to vapors causes irritation to the eyes, severe burns, loss of vision, irritation to the nose and throat, headache, and pulmonary edema. Exposure to excessive vapor concentrations may cause nausea, vomiting, fainmess, coughing, chest pains, dizziness, depression, convulsions, narcosis, and possibly unconsciousness. Exposure of this nature is unlikely, however, because of the irritating properties of the vapor. Any direct skin contact with liquid -butylamine causes... 

Toxicity and health effects Exposure to high concentrations of carbon disulfide causes deleterious effects that include headaches, nausea, vomiting, dizziness, fatigue, chest pains, blurred vision, delirium, neurophysiological changes, reduced nerve condnetion velocity, peripheral neuropathy, polyneuropathy, convulsions, and problems with brain, liver, heart. After pregnant rats breathed carbon disnlfide in the air, some of the newborn rats died or had birth defects. High concentrations of carbon disnlfide have caused skin bnrns when the chemical accidentally tonched people s skin. - ... 

Use and exposure Technical grade dinitrotoluene is an oily liquid and easily combustible. Dinitrotoluenes are used primarily as chemical intermediates in the production of toluene diamines, diisocyanates, polyurethane foams, dyes, propellants, and polymers, and in the explosives industry." " " Toxicity and health effects Dinitrotoluene is known to cause adverse health effects on the blood, liver, kidney, and CNS in laboratory animals after an acute oral exposure. The animals also showed cyanosis and ataxia. Prolonged periods of exposure caused muscular weakness, poor muscular coordination, tremors, convulsions, ataxia, and paralysis. Industrial workers have developed headache, appetite loss, giddiness, dizziness, nausea, insomnia, and tingling pains in the extremities after chronic exposure to dinitrotoluene. - ... 

Toxicity and health effects Laboratory rats exposed to 2-nitropropane in high concentrations (207 ppm) developed adverse liver changes like hepatocellular hypertrophy, hyperplasia, necrosis, and liver carcinoma. It has been reported that prolonged exposure to concentrations of 20-45 ppm of 2-nitropropane caused nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, anorexia, and severe headaches among workers. Industrial workers handling 2-nitropropane for the application of epoxy resins to the walls of a nuclear power plant developed toxic hepatitis. - ... 

Toxicity and health effects Exposure to o-nitrotoluene causes adverse effects in animals and humans. Acute and chronic exposure causes headache, skin irritation, flushing of face, dizziness, dyspnea, hypoxia, cyanosis, nausea, vomiting, muscular weakness, increased pulse and respiratory rate, irritability, and convulsions. ... 

Synonyms and trade names picronitric acid, 2,4,6-trinitrophenol, trinitrophenol Use and exposure Picric acid is a white to yellowish crystalline substance and highly flammable. It is used in the manufacture of fireworks, matches, electric batteries, colored glass, explosives, and disinfectants. Pharmaceutical, textile, and leather industries also make use of picric acid. Bouin s picro-formol is used as a preservative solution for biological specimens in laboratories. Toxicity and health effects Picric acid causes different adverse effects on the skins of animals and humans, like allergies, dermatitis, irritation, and sensitization. Absorption of picric acid by the system causes headache, fever, nausea, diarrhea, and coma. In high concentrations, picric acid is known to... 

Use and exposure Styrene is a colorless liquid with a sweet smell. Styrene is primarily a synthetic chemical used extensively in the manufacture of plastics, rubber, and resins. It is also used as an intermediate in the synthesis of materials used for ion exchange resins and to produce copolymers. Toxicity and health effects Acute exposure to styrene causes respiratory effects, such as mucous membrane irritation, eye irritation, and gastrointestinal effects. Styrene causes subjective complaints of headache, fatigue, dizziness, confusion, drowsiness, malaise, difficulty in concentrating, and a feeling of intoxication. Chronic exposure to styrene affects CNS depression and dysfunction, hearing loss, and peripheral neuropathy. - ... 

Toxicity and health effects Occupational exposure to chromium through inhalation occurs more with stainless steel welding, chromate production, chrome plating, and chrome pigment industries, primarily to hexavalent chromium. Chromium (HI) is an essential nutrient that helps the body use... 

---